Kidnapped
by littledoggy
Summary: Sakura is unconscious after being attacked by a huge creature. The problem? She somehow wakes up a captive, yet Syaoran is still stuck with an unconscious Sakura! What's going on? R&R, rated for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! This is my first Tsubasa fan-fiction, so please tolerate any mistakes. Even better, TELL me the mistakes so that I can learn from them. But be gentle, ne? Arigato gozaimasu!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tsubasa Chronicles. Simple as that.**

**c-h-a-p-t-e-r-1**

Sakura woke up drowsily and blinked slowly. Her limbs felt oddly heavy. Tiredly, she shifted her head to look at her companions. They were all fast asleep, with Kurogane snoring and Mokona's soft body snuggled against Fye's.

"Uhn," she groaned under her breath. Her mind was fuzzy and everything appeared as a blur to her. She ran a finger through her messy brown locks that were slightly wet with perspiration. Her scalp was a little warm to her touch. Touching her forehead lightly, she groaned inaudibly again. She was sick with a fever.

Great. Just great.

"Sakura-hime?" Syaoran murmured sleepily. "Are you alright?"

"W-What? Oh, hai," she replied nonchalantly. She did not want to worry her friends. What was the point of burdening them with her problems anyway? "Good morning Syaoran."

"Good morning."

"Ohayo mina san!" Mokona squealed as it leaped into the air energetically. Of course, anything that goes up has to come down, so the adorable little creature made do with landing on Fye's stomach, waking the blonde up in the process.

"Oh, good morning everyone," he said cheerfully, his trademark smile already on his pale face. "Good morning Kuro-puppy."

"Shut up, mage," Kurogane growled from one end of the cave they had been sleeping in.

"Ooh, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today."

"You -"

Sakura winced a little. Their voices sounded several times louder to her. It made her head hurt. Luckily, no one noticed it.

"Keep quiet you two. Breakfast is ready," Syaoran snapped, obviously in a bad mood. Kurogane gave Fye one last seething glare before facing his young charge.

"Thank you Syaoran," Fye said cheerfully. Syaoran nodded briefly before handing a leg of chicken to the princess. The girl took it reluctantly and nibbled only at the edges of the tender meat.

"You are not eating, Sakura-hime. Are you alright?" he asked in concern, a frown marring his handsome face. Inquisitive amber eyes watched her keenly.

"I'm okay, Syaoran. Don't worry," she replied softly, smiling at him.

"Okay. If you say so," he said uncertainly. It was clear that he did not believe a single word she said. His sharp ears had caught occasional sighs from the girl, and that made him worried. She had eaten close to nothing since the night before. "Shall we start searching then?"

"Sure," Fye answered, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Kuro-puppy, are you done?"

"'Course I am, mage."

"Ikuyo."

The four friends trudged out of their temporary hideout for the night. Blinding sunlight greeted them outside the yawning mouth of the cave. They shook their heads in an attempt to get rid of the spots that obscured their vision. Sakura regretted it almost immediately. Pain stabbed at her head and threatened to throw her off-balance.

A strong arm caught her just in time. Syaoran's gloved hands held onto her slender shoulders tightly as he waited for the princess to regain control over her body. Her shoulders were shaking slightly. From shock or any other emotion, Syaoran did not know. Nor did he care. His main concern was the princess herself.

"Uhn…Thank you Syaoran, I'm fine now," she murmured with a hand pressed over her eyes. Syaoran did not budge, instead staring at her curiously. "Mm, Syaoran?"

"Yes?"

"Can you let go of my shoulders now?"

"Oh…right." He removed his hands immediately, a blush creeping up his tanned face. What made him hold on to her like that? She giggled lightly and looked at him straight in the eye. There was something amiss in her gentle gaze, Syaoran realized. Those emerald seas appeared dull and lifeless instead of the usual sparkle in them.

"Hey, you two lovebirds! If you have nothing better to do, we'd better start moving," Kurogane grumbled, his muscular arms folded across his chest.

"Aha, is Kuro-chan jealous?" Fye teased, always ready for a playful fight with the ninja.

"Shut up."

"Shall we go now?" Sakura's soft voice piped up, surprising her male companions. One hand was still shading her eyes, throwing a shadow over her emerald orbs. But what scared them the most was her voice. It was weak, and it quivered when she spoke as if talking sapped her energy.

Syaoran's frown deepened, and Fye's smile actually vanished for a short moment to be replaced by a look of concern. It was back again in the blink of an eye.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" he asked gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. He could feel the lithe frame shaking beneath the pressure. Strange, since he exerted hardly any strength into it at all.

"Y-yes. Are we moving or not?" she asked in a futile attempt at being cheerful. "No point in lazing around all day."

"Miles and miles of green pastures. Fantastic," Kurogane remarked sarcastically. The girl giggled lightly and stood up straight, looking every bit the princess of Clow.

Together the four embarked once more on their long journey to collect all of Sakura's scattered memories. They had hoped to obtain yet another feather in this world, but so far luck had not been by their side. No trace of a feather yet, and the group had traveled around that world for several days already. It frustrated them no end.

Silence ensued as they covered mile after mile of grassy plains. Syaoran and Sakura walked in front. Kurogane walked behind them with Fye trailing behind. Sakura spaced out every now and then and would bump into Syaoran. She would then apologize profusely to him before returning to her own world.

A sheen of cold sweat broke out on her brow. Her temperature had been rising steadily since they started, and Sakura knew it. She started to shiver uncontrollably despite the unforgiving rays of sunlight that glared down at them.

She shivered so much, her teeth started to chatter. Sakura bit her lip in order to stop it. Her vision was becoming rapidly hazier with every step she took.

"Hey, you! Don't lag behind!" Kurogane yelled at Fye, who was lagging behind the group.

"Coming Kuro-puppy!"

"Grr…!"

"Shall we rest for a while?" Syaoran hollered back at the bickering duo. As usual, they glared at each other then walked towards Syaoran. Correction: it was only Kurogane who had glared at the mage whereas Fye kept his silly smile.

"I think there's a tree there that can provide us with some shade," Fye offered helpfully. The younger boy nodded and headed towards the tree Fye referred to.

"Coming, Sakura?" he asked, offering one gloved hand to her. The girl appeared not to notice it, staring hazily in the distance. Syaoran was puzzled and waved his hand before her pale face. She started and began to fall backwards. He caught her just in time.

"Oi, Sakura! Are you okay?" he asked for the umpteenth time that day. She giggled weakly and nodded, her emerald eyes half closed. Her hair drooped over her eyes lifelessly and she shivered uncontrollably.

"Are you cold?" _Surprising, since the climate here is very hot._

She nodded lightly and tried to push him away, only to fall down as soon as he let go of her. Exerting all of her waning energy, she placed her hands on the ground and pushed herself up.

"I'm fine," she whispered huskily. Her lips were drained of any colour, as was her face. She was as white as a sheet. Syaoran grumbled and clamped his hands onto her shoulders.

"Don't give me the 'I'm okay' answer again when you're obviously _not_ okay!"

"But I am ok-"

"There you go again." Syaoran rolled his eyes in defeat. The princess could be very stubborn at times. Sakura shivered again when a gust of wind blew against her thin frame. He stared at her for a moment before unfastening his cloak and placing it on her shoulders. She clutched at it thankfully, pulling it tighter around her.

Worried amber eyes looked at her face. Sakura's face was deathly pale with a thin layer of sweat beading her forehead and upper lip. Tiny gasps and pants escaped her lips from time to time as if she had some difficulty with breathing.

"I am fine, Syaoran. Thank you for your concern," she said firmly, looking up at him. She gasped when she was lifted off her feet and onto his back."I don't need a piggy back ride!"

"Yes you do Sakura-hime. And don't you dare refuse."

"Humph! Fine! You will be the one who suffers anyway," she said with a pout on her face. Syaoran chuckled.

"I, suffer? Sakura, you're not heavy at all," Syaoran said sarcastically. He jerked her up a little higher, causing her brown locks to fall over her eyes. Her forehead hit his back.

"Itai…" she murmured, rubbing her feverish head. "Can't you be more gentle?"

"Your wish is my command, hime."

"Syaoran!" Sakura exclaimed indignantly and hit him lightly on his shoulder. "Don't call me princess!"

"Hime!"

"Syaoran!" she complained. Syaoran chortled a little before bending down to lower the girl down onto the lush grass. Her back leaned against the sturdy trunk of the banyan tree that provided them shelter for the time being.

"So, is she alright?" Fye asked.

"Yes, I am. Thank you, Fye," she replied hastily, giving Syaoran a challenging glare.

"I'm glad," he said gently. "Now why don't you rest for a while? I'm sure you'll feel refreshed after having one."

"Mm. Okay!"

"Sakura…" Syaoran murmured.

"Yes?"

"Sleep."

"W-What?" she looked at him innocently.

"Get some sleep."

"Oh. Hai." With a soft groan she lowered her head until it met the bark of the tree. Her eyelids drooped over her emerald orbs sleepily. Or was it out of fatigue?

Syaoran exchanged glances with Fye, who shrugged and gazed at Sakura's slim figure. The forest green cloak started to slip off her body. Her childhood friend grunted and pulled it off the slim figure. Sakura whimpered a little and started shivering again.

He draped the fabric so that it covered her entire torso, from the tip of her toes to her neck. It was long enough, with several inches of it to spare. Sakura's shivering gradually quieted down until the princess was half asleep.

"She isn't well, is she?" he murmured quietly so that he did not disturb her well-needed rest. Fye nodded and smiled at him.

"Maybe. Now why don't you rest?"

"I must guard the princess."

Fye chuckled at his stubbornness. "Hai, guard her you must, but you need rest too you know. Go on and sleep. Kuro-pi and I will watch over the two of you."

"When did I say anything about guarding the brat?" Kurogane sputtered indignantly.

"Aww, come on Kuro-pi! Let them sleep while we amuse ourselves, ne?" the blonde cajoled.

"Amuse yourself. I'm not going to try to cheer you up, you're sickeningly cheerful as it is."

"Is that so? Then I must -"

"Must tease him more! Mokona is here to help!" Mokona squealed, jumping in front of their faces.

Kurogane's half-closed eyes snapped open in alarm and he sat up hastily, his sword at the ready in his calloused hand. "Did you hear that?" he whispered cautiously.

"Hm? Are you hallucinating, Kuro-pi?"

"You'll be the death of me someday…"

"I'm honoured."

"Shh! Something is coming." His eyes scanned the area keenly. Nothing was in sight. A lone leaf floated sadly down to the ground, pulled off by a sudden gust of wind.

Silence.

Then…

"_RRAAAWRR!_" A terrible snarl tore at the still air like a knife slicing through butter. Syaoran jumped up and was beside his older companions in less than a second.

"What is it?" he asked warily. There was a rustle of cloth and fabric behind him. He turned around to see Sakura struggling to stand, her face flushed with fever. "Sit down, Sakura. You need to conserve your energy."

She shook her head weakly. "Iie. What is it?" she whispered huskily, as if she had lost the use of her voice.

"I don't know," he replied tersely.

"Here it comes," Kurogane's harsh voice cut in. "Get ready…"

"Rrrngh," something growled and sneaked its way closer to its prey. Kurogane drew his sword closer to his body, ready to strike should the need arise.

Then they saw it. A creature that had the characteristics of a wolf: sharp white fangs, padded paws and ears. But that was where the similarities ended. Where a wolf had brown, black or white fur, this creature had what seemed like swirls of sand that made up its body. In fact, it was made almost totally out of sand.

The huge paws that left the ground as it leaped into the air were of a grayish hue, stained here and there with specks of green and the occasional spray of crimson, probably blood of an unsuspecting victim. But what intrigued them the most were its eyes.

Heartless, black voids among the fur – or was it sand? – stared hungrily at the four humans. Swirls of red surrounded the slits it had for its pupil. To it they were nothing but delicious, tender meat, a satisfying meal for the huge creature. Its abnormally long snout sniffed the air and it licked its chops, savouring the sweet thought of sinking them into tender flesh.

Kurogane grumbled and swung his sword directly in its path. It parried the deadly sword by landing neatly on the flat side of the blade with one paw and pushing itself upwards again, jumping even higher than before.

The tip of the sword slashed at its underbelly, leaving a scratch on the furry – sandy? – body of the creature. It snarled angrily and lodged its teeth firmly onto Kurogane's arm.

A black clad leg kicked it swiftly away. It yelped as the shoe connected with its lower jaw and fell down several feet away from its prey. The white rows of fangs in his mouth were already stained with rich crimson liquid. The same liquid oozed out of Kurogane's wound. It licked the blood lavishly, eager for more.

"Thanks mage," the ninja said briefly. There was a rush of dull colours by his side as Syaoran ran towards the creature, his own sword at the ready. Kurogane saw the determined glint in his amber eyes and followed suit.

His sword came down as Syaoran's sword went vertically, a sure strike. The creature outdid them all by crouching low until the last moment then it streaked out, a brown blur to their vision.

It snarled lightly as it aimed for its new prey – a limp form who was standing alone, unprotected and with to defend herself with. One with wavy brown locks and a long green cloak draped across her shoulders. One with deep emerald seas for eyes.

The creature was going after Sakura.

Syaoran saw it at the same time Kurogane and Fye did. He cursed under his breath and ran forwards, praying hard. Please let him get there on time…

A gigantic paw slammed down onto a petrified Sakura's tender neck, causing the female to crash down onto the ground, her breath knocked out of her. She gasped in shock and tried in vain to breathe. The creature applied more pressure to her neck, blocking her air passage. Sakura started to choke violently. What little colour she had regained after her refreshing nap drained away until barely a trace of it was left. Her lips started to turn blue. Her vision was definitely getting hazy…

Suddenly the weight was pushed off her neck. She could see the blurred outline of a black boot landing on one side of her frail body as its owner prepared to protect her. She caught the whiff of a familiar scent. A scent she would recognize no matter where she went. The scent of Syaoran.

He towered over her, his baggy pants brushing against her arm. Drops of disgusting greenish-brown slime dripped from the hilt to the tip of his sword. His muscular arm was sprayed with the same liquid as well.

Harsh pants could be heard from the creature, mingling with the warning snarls it sent in the direction of the four companions. A deep gash had opened in its side, still bleeding afresh. The same disgusting slime that stained Syaoran's arm and sword poured out in torrents out of its wound.

"Let's end this now, shall we?" Fye asked amicably, looking at it with half-closed eyes. The careless smile never left his face for an instant.

"Let's," Syaoran growled. That creature will pay for daring to attack the princess…_his_ princess. Beside him, Kurogane grunted in agreement, pulling his sword into attack mode.

The two sword-wielders rushed towards him, with Syaoran and Kurogane in the lead. They were neck by neck, the tips of their swords slashing down as one onto the pathetic creature. Its yowls reverberated for miles from where they stood. Kurogane and the young lad were panting slightly from the effort. The carcass of the now-dead creature lay limp at their feet, saliva drooling out of its open mouth.

Syaoran spared it a grim smirk before turning back. The blonde mage had helped the choking Sakura back onto her feet and was supporting her with one shoulder. Her cheek brushed against the back of his hand for a short moment. Fye shivered inwardly when his hand connected with the ice-cold flesh. Her temperature must be really high if her cheek could be as cold as a corpse's. Sakura's brown head drooped almost lifelessly onto his shoulder, her bangs covering her emerald eyes.

"Sakura!" Syaoran yelled in concern. She exerted a great amount of energy to crack a small smile at her childhood friend and tried to lift her head higher. Her small hand gripped Fye's arm painfully as she tried to stand.

"Sakura, are you alright? Talk to me, Sakura!" the chestnut haired young man cried desperately, taking big strides in order to be at her side.

"I'm…alright…" she wheezed between hacking coughs, stumbling where she stood. He stopped, too busy comprehending the incredulous answer he heard from the princess to realize the huskiness and faintness of her voice. She grinned weakly and used Fye's arm to support her weight as she struggled to stand. "Ungh…"

Fye watched her in concern. His arm really hurt, and there were red marks where her fingernails had dug into his flesh, but that was the least of his worries by now. The girl pushed herself away from his arm, swaying dangerously where she stood. Her shiny brown locks strayed messily as it was blown about by the hot wind.

Sakura drew a shaky breath, took a step forwards…

And fell.

',',

Whew. Done. I'm new to Tsubasa Chronicles, so can you please tell me if the characters seem a little OOC (Out Of Character)? It would be greatly appreciated.

Review? Please! Click on the 'Go' button and tell me your rating/suggestions/ideas for this story ya?

Arigato gozaimasu! Oh, and by the way, I accept flames ONLY with a reasonable, uh, reason?


	2. Chapter 2

Hello! I want to thank those who have reviewed, they were very encouraging. Thank you so much for pointing out the mistakes and OOC-ness. You see, I only watched Tsubasa Chronicles up to episode 26, and Sakura was kind of silent most of the time. I hope I'll get the hang of the characters…meanwhile, help me, okay?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tsubasa Chronicles. Simple as that.**

**c-h-a-p-t-e-r-2**

Syaoran's eyes widened as he watched the princess fall to the ground. His limbs seemed to be in a state of paralysis, for he did not move a muscle to rush to her aid. He simply stood there, amber eyes watching Sakura falling. His mind then took control of his body and brought him closer to her. He managed to catch Sakura moments before her head touched the grating sand.

The princess' face was deathly pale. She could have been a ghost for all they knew. Syaoran traced her cheek with one finger, shuddering when he felt the ice-cold skin.

"Hime!" he said urgently, trying to see any signs of life from the frail body. Of course, she never reacted. Sakura's head lolled loosely past his arm, allowing her now dull brown hair to scrape the ground.

"We better bring her into the shade," Fye butted in, trying to help. Syaoran obeyed without hesitation and carried the unconscious princess bridal style towards the tree they were resting under before the encounter with the vile creature. Kurogane was already there, a water bottle in his hands. The cap had been screwed off the top and now lay in the ninja's palm.

"We need a bit of cloth," he pointed out bluntly. Syaoran frowned. Pulling out some cloth from their supplies and shredding it meant wasting precious time, and he did not know how long the princess could hold out.Suddenly, here was an unpleasant ripping sound behind him. Both the boy and the ninja turned around to see a huge piece of white fabric torn out of Fye's bell-shaped sleeve. He smiled idiotically and waved the fabric about.

"You said you wanted cloth, right?"

"We could've used one of the blankets instead, mage," Kurogane said offhandedly. Despite what he said, he grabbed the soft linen and held it over the mouth of the bottle. He tipped the container to the side, allowing the crystal-clear liquid inside to trickle out. The cloth lapped up the moisture eagerly.

Syaoran watched him anxiously as the ninja dabbed at Sakura's forehead, brushing away the sheen of cold sweat that had formed there. His attention was solely for the princess, and the princess alone.

He blamed himself thoroughly for the princess' current condition. He should have realized that the princess was ill since he was with her the whole time. How had he been oblivious to her plight?

The chestnut haired boy tried his best to keep his emotions in check. It would not do anyone good if he lost control of himself right now.

His main concern is for the princess of Clow.

Only Sakura, and Sakura alone.

His life was nothing compared to her safety…

_Hime, Touya-ouji, I'm sorry. I failed you all._

….

"Ungh…"

Startled emerald eyes snapped open immediately. The lack of warmth from the marble floor really jolted her senses awake. Not to mention the painful ache she experienced in every single limb…it felt as thought they were about to break.

Sakura wiggled her fingers and toes gingerly. Nope, nothing broken. Just an unexplainable ache everywhere, as if she had run for several miles without stopping for a breather.

Now that she was assured she had suffered nothing physical, she proceeded to check out the surroundings. Thick, mammoth pillars towered high above her. Patterns that were curiously shaped into what seemed like letters of the ancient language were carved intricately into the solid cement. Or was it some kind of otherworldly solid? Sakura did not know.

Besides that, the entire hall she was in stood bare, showing off well-polished brown walls. It glistened eerily in the flickering light given off the countless torches that littered the room. Sakura uttered a horrified gasp when she saw what held the burning sticks in place.

Because…the holders are…

Bloody skulls, brown with caked blood that had dried up with time. Yet some thick, crimson liquid was trickling down every one of them, drenching the gruesome skulls in fresh blood. It made them appear much more hideous than they really were. Then again, the sight of a brownish skull is more than enough to scare anyone out of their skin.

_Drip, drip_…

_Drip_…

A dried, shriveled-up hand jutted out of every skull where the mouth should have been, all pointing towards the ceiling. Papery, semi-transparent skin stretched tautly over the bones.

A tar-like substance leaked out of non-existant pores, thick and pitch black, apparently the source of that eerie _'drip, drip'_ sound. It crawled down the scabbed skin and occasionally fed slivers to the burning torch it held in frail-looking fingers. Sakura could see the bone beneath the crinkled skin very clearly indeed.

They looked like fragile twigs, ready to break off at the slightest touch. The skin looks as though it could crumble if Sakura had the guts to blow lightly. She was sure that if she had sneezed, the whole place would crumble. Then again, those pillars _do_ look sturdy…

"Awake already?" an imperious voice boomed. It seemed to echo loudly around the room, bouncing off the walls and pillars. Perhaps she had imagined it, but she was quite sure that she saw the flames being blown back and the skulls rattle about on the walls. To top it all off, the hands teetered precariously in the gaping holes bored into the skulls, threatening to fall and spread flames across the marble floor to lick at her feet.

Sakura lifted her head. There, in front of her, stood the most intimidating man she had ever seen. Even onii-chan would have been preferable. No, this man was not intimidating when it comes to physical appearance. In fact, he was scrawny and extremely thin. His shirt, made out of rich purple silk, was probably the smallest size Sakura had seen for an adult. Then again, she was in another world…perhaps the sizes of clothes were different here?

What frightened Sakura the most was the amount of power he seemed to have. Even from where she stood, she could see it in the cockiness of his stride and the way his steel-blue eyes danced without a trace of humour in them.

The temperature also seemed to drop by several degrees upon his arrival. It was as though his presence demanded absolute coldness in the surroundings. So cold…there was no warmth radiating from him, only pure evil. The air reeked of it.

And for someone as cheerful as Sakura, it was unbearable, intolerable. It wrapped around her frail figure and threatened to suffocate her, depriving her of oxygen. The hideous man grinned when he saw her uneasiness. He wallowed in her nervousness not unlike the way a bear would gorge on honey.

"What do you want?" Sakura managed to choke out despite her ever-growing fear. His smile grew wider, if possible. "Who are you?"

"Do you really need to ask? I want your feathers, of course. All of them. As for my name…it is none of your concern."

Sakura had to shudder. His voice…it was dripping with so much malice and sarcasm, she was surprised the floor did not melt where he stood. Her lungs took an involuntary gasp for air and she shuddered again. The ice-cold oxygen pierced through tissue and cell, turning the bronchi within her lungs into caves of icicles.

Why? Why did everyone want her feathers, her memories? Everyone seemed to be on the lookout for her pink-tipped white feathers, ready to grab them and use them for their own purposes, both for good and for greed, the second being the more frequent of the two.

"You know I won't agree, don't you?" she replied shakily. This man was already very powerful without the aid of her feather. She grimaced to think of the possible destruction that could come to pass if he got hold of her feathers. Even a single one in his hands would be a catastrophe. Sakura knew that much.

"Your consent does not count. Because -" he raised his arm to chest height "- I shall obtain it anyway, by force if necessary. I took great pains to bring you here, you know. But you made it difficult. You fought me off unconsciously, even when I exerted maximum power. At last, I succeed. You are in my clutches now, and there is nothing that can stop me."

The man brought his middle finger and his thumb together in a snap. It echoed loudly around the desolate room. Nothing stirred, not even the brittle spider webs that decorated the room.

Something was amiss…Sakura could sense that. Something didn't seem right…it was too quiet, too eerie…was his snap meant to summon his magic, or was it just what it was – a snap? Hopefully, it was only a sn-

Uh-uh. She wished too soon. There was a sudden gust of wind that nearly threw her off-balance. Her brown hair lashed at her cheek and obscured her vision with amber locks.

His magic struck the second her attention was diverted. Sakura felt herself being lifted up by an invisible force. It caused her hair to whip about even more wildly, stinging her face. Her arms left her sides involuntarily and raised themselves so that they were level with her eyes.

Sakura was afraid. This bizarre experience is definitely one she would rather miss. Seeing her fingers dangling in the air without physical support terrorized her, not to mention the bone-chilling fact that she had not wanted to lift it in the first place.

Her back hit something hard and cold, presumably a wall. The ice-cold concrete or whatever it was made of sent uncomfortable shivers down her spine. Her bell-sleeved arms plastered themselves into recesses in the wall that seemed to be made specially for that purpose.

Some unseen machinery chugged to work then. Sickly looking gray goo poured down and encased her arms tightly, solidifying as soon as it made contact with her skin or her sleeve. Sakura watched all this in fear. Her emerald eyes dilated, roaming frantically from her arm to the solidified fluid.

She was, however reluctantly, a prisoner.

The stone slabs moved sluggishly, protruding several inches from the wall. Heavy manacles appeared and clamped themselves firmly around her ankles. Sakura gasped and looked down in dismay.

Her spine arced at the sudden shift in position. She was now suspended in the air, she noticed dryly. The floor looked pretty close from where she hung. Sakura tried reaching out with her toes. She stretched them as far as they could go, nearly sighing in relief when the very tips of her toes touched what was unmistakably solid ground.

Despite that, it did not change the fact that she was a prisoner of a stranger who seemed to be power-hungry and bent on obtaining her feathers.

Big surprise.

Some weirdo would go bonkers over one feather, and her friends – Syaoran, Fye, and Kurogane – would struggle to retrieve it from the bad guys. And the results were not always pretty either.

"One last chance," the man drawled. "Give me your feathers, or else…" he left the sentence hanging, looking at her meaningfully. His expression told her all she needed to know. Obey…or die.

Sakura was rapidly growing desperate. She was painfully conscious of the fact that she was weak and defenseless. She had no weapon to defend herself with, nor a shield to parry any attacks. She felt so vulnerable.

One part of her, the part of her mind that was still functioning properly, told her to defy it. Past experience had taught her that a single feather in the possession of an evil person would bring about destruction and probably spill lots of blood and gore. Gross.

But this was not the time to dwell on it now. Her captor was awaiting her answer, and both of them knew what her answer was, even before she had opened her mouth. Sakura inhaled deeply.

"No," she said, a defiant glint evident in her emerald pools.

"So be it."

He snapped his fingers again. As before, nothing happened, save for a small gust of wind that picked up speed before dissipating into nothing.

The room was eerily silent. Too silent for comfort.

Then it happened.

His magic crashed down upon the helpless Sakura with the force of a raging bull. It all occured in a split second. One moment her eyes were locked with his in a defiant glare. The next moment, excruciating pain traveled up her blood stream and jabbed at her bones, slicing it down to the marrow within.

Sakura felt as though her heart was about to burst. It banged wildly against her ribs and seemed to pulse with unwonted force to the point every breath she drew was torture.

Her scream of absolute agony shook the air, but there was no one to hear her. The man had disappeared as well, leaving Sakura to her bleak fate.

',',

"Her fever's not going down," Kurogane grunted, squeezing the rag that used to be Fye's sleeve to drain it of excess water. The colour of the pale white fabric had dulled and now lay limp in the ninja's hand.

"No, it's not. On the contrary, it seems to be getting worse," Fye interjected and he placed a hand on Sakura's feverish forehead. Sakura whimpered and muttered incomprehensibly.

Syaoran held her hand in his, praying hard for her recovery. The princess did not give any indication that she knew he was there. Her mutterings subsided into soft moans. Syaoran watched her sadly and pulled the rough sack that served as her meager blanket higher to cover more of her frail body.

He knew that the princess was suffering, and it pained him that he was unable to help her. Seeing that fever eating at her from the inside was more than he could bear. He knew, despite their combined efforts to soothe the fever, Sakura was slowly slipping from their fingers.

He gripped the sack tightly, ignoring the itchy feeling it gave him. No, as long as there is still hope to save her, he will preserver.

"Mokona," he said abruptly, though not in a rough manner. The little manjuu bun looked up and hopped to rest on Syaoran's shoulder. There was no need to use any of his 108 Secret Skills to know that the boy was dejected and worried, despite the fact that he had tried his best to conceal it. The droopy aura around him was very easy to detect.

"Mokona is here! Anything Mokona can do to help?"

"Can you detect the feather?"

Mokona appeared dubious but complied to Syaoran's request. It shut its large eyes and concentrated hard. There were several uncomfortable moments of silence between the three companions before Mokona pricked up its ears and opened its eyes.

"Mokona can sense one, but it is very faint."

"What do you propose to do, kid?" Kurogane said, dabbing at Sakura's feverish forehead. He watched Syaoran from the corner of his eye. The boy was frowning, obviously deep in thought. The ninja raised an eyebrow when he saw Syaoran's fists clench into fists.

"Perhaps…just perhaps the princess can regain some of her strength if we found her another feather."

Fye scrutinized him thoroughly through half-lidded eyes. True, Sakura does acquire more strength and a glimmer of her former self with each feather she absorbed. Her emerald eyes had started to sparkle with life of late, and her cheeks had gained a rosy tint.

"I suppose it is worth a try…" Kurogane trailed off doubtfully. A million things could go wrong. This could be a trap set up by the enemy…with one small hitch. There are no enemies in sight.

"But what about the princess?" Fye asked. Syaoran's burning amber eyes looked up with determination evident in his chiseled features.

"I will carry Sakura-hime."

Both Kurogane and Fye looked at the younger boy before them. Despite being young, he carried all the traits of a true warrior, loyal to his princess. He could swing the sword with as much grace as a master swordsman, a tribute to Kurogane's teaching skills.

His brown eyes mirrored sheer determination and courage. His aura reeked of it. One could not help but feel respect for him.

"If you say so. Time to hit the road then," Fye said with a smile on his face. "Coming, Kuro-rin?"

Kurogane growled angrily and would have drawn his sword, but Sakura was in the way and he did not want to run the risk of harming her. So instead he contented himself with some well-chosen words aimed directly at the mage, using some pins he had found to secure a cloak of Fye's around the unconscious Sakura. Kurogane detested it. Why must he dote on the princess anyway? Taking care of others was so not his forte. Hurting others was.

Syaoran sensed his discomfort and took over the task, his hands slipping easily around Sakura's throat to fasten a button there. His eyes searched her pale face lovingly for any reaction, any sign of life from the fragile body. Sakura remained limp and silent in his arms.

He lowered his head to hide his eyes for a moment. Seeing his beloved in such a bedraggled state tugged painfully at his heartstrings. What's worse, he could do nothing to help her.

Syaoran shook himself out of his stupor and hoisted Sakura onto his broad back, his arms tucked beneath her knees. Her arms hung down from his shoulders, her head nestled peacefully in the crook of his neck.

There was a rustle of fabric as Syaoran stood up, his back facing the two travel companions. Fye and Kurogane were standing some distance away from the tree, both looking at Syaoran expectantly. Syaoran turned to face them, determination inscribed into every part of him.

"Let's go."

',',

As usual, tell me if any of them are out of character, please. You're all welcome to point out my mistakes, in fact they are very much appreciated.

Arigato gozaimasu! Oh, and by the way, I accept flames ONLY with a reasonable, uh, reason?

Review? Please! Click on the 'Go' button and tell me your rating/suggestions/ideas for this story ya?


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tsubasa Chronicles. Simple as that.**

**c-h-a-p-t-e-r-3**

"Mokona, can you sense anything?" Syaoran repeated urgently. They had been walking around endless grassy plains for what seemed like forever, and still no trace of a feather. It was frustrating, to say the least.

The tiny manjuu bun concentrated hard once more, its ears sticking out in the air. There were several uncomfortable moments of silence between the weary travelers. Finally Mokona opened its eyes in defeat.

"No…"

Syaoran steeled himself and laid his burden on the ground. He placed a hand over Sakura's forehead and found it to be as hot as ever. Dipping a finger into the crystal clear bowl of water he had in his free hand, he traced his wet finger along Sakura's parched lips. Only when he was satisfied did he take a swig of water himself, quenching his thirst.

Around him, Fye was up to his usual prank of teasing Kurogane. Syaoran would not have been surprised to see steam bursting forth from the ninja. He looked angry enough to the boy.

Kurogane's mouth was pulled down into an angry snarl. He was inches away from slicing that irritating mage into microscopic pieces. His hand jerked instinctively towards his sword.

"I'm warning you, mage. One more word and -"

"Kuro-won!" Fye teased, smiling stupidly.

That did it. Souhi was out before Syaoran could blink, poised millimeters from Fye's pale neck. Still the mage did not flinch. Nor did he back away under the ninja's penetrating glare.

"Playing serious now, are we?"

"Do me a favour and shut up."

"Aww, Kuro-rin is no fun!" Fye pouted. Kurogane would have gladly thrust his sword up Fye's big mouth at the moment. As it is, cold steel had rested upon the mage's flesh, eager to dig into it and draw fresh blood from its prey.

"AAAA_AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH_!" Someone screamed, the loud sound shaking the three travelers to their very souls. It sounded more and more agonized as time dragged on, bringing more pain to the travelers' ears.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the scream ceased, leaving a ringing silence in its wake.

"Wow, mage," Kurogane grunted into the silence. "There's no need to scream that loud."

Contrary to what the ninja expected, Fye did _not_ make a witty comeback. In fact, he was staring at something behind Kurogane, his cerulean blue eyes etched all over with concern.

"It wasn't me," he finally said, his voice a hoarse whisper.

"Then who was it?"

"Hime!" Syaoran cried, clutching Sakura's fragile-looking hand in his gloved ones.

"Does that answer your question, Kuro-won?"

….

Sakura hung limply from her binds, too weary to try to stay upright. She was exhausted beyond belief, too tired even to scream out in pain when another rush of electric-like jolt entered her blood stream. Her haggard breathing was the only indication of the agony she was undergoing.

The tears that had spilled down her cheeks had evaporated into thin air a long time ago, leaving messy streaks on Sakura's pale face. Her torso was totally drenched in her own perspiration. Her sweat formed a small pool just below her feet.

She hated the way her clothes clung onto her thin frame. It made her feel uncomfortable. And the fact that it was wet did not help at all.

But that was the least of her worries at the moment. Sakura felt as though she had stayed there forever. How long had it been since she had been plunged into this horrible place? Days? Months? Or mere hours? She did not know.

Either way, the excruciating pain was almost too much for her to bear. It coursed up her veins and shook her very bones to the point where Sakura was actually glad of the manacles and stone slabs that kept her stationary. She did not think she would be able to stand otherwise – if you could call hanging several inches over the floor 'standing', that is.

A gasp was all she could muster when she was fed another dose of the nasty shocks she had been receiving of late. She dimly sensed her body shutting down under the intense agony and welcomed the darkness that came along with it as a relief.

It appeared that nothing that brought her relief could last forever.

Her vision erupted into a flurry of twinkling stars, blinding her. Sakura was jerked unpleasantly out of her momentary bliss and forced to face harsh reality once more. Her aches and pains returned in full force, nearly knocking her back into peaceful oblivion.

Sadly, something kept her awake. And Sakura did not need to think to recognize the painfully familiar magic that was being cast…

Her captor was back.

One thin, tapered finger placed itself under her sweaty chin and pulled her face upwards so that her emerald orbs met his cold gaze. Sakura shivered upon contact with his clammy skin. It felt as though he were a corpse that had risen from the grave.

"Did you enjoy my surprise?" he said silkily, his finger never leaving her chin. Sakura spat right at his face, causing him to recoil and wipe off the saliva in evident disgust. The princess smiled despite herself, despite knowing that the price for her short moment of glory would probably be hefty. For now, it was worth it –

Sakura screamed anew, the single sound tearing at her throat and piercing the air in the musty room. A small amount of blood dribbled onto her soft – and wet – dress, staining it a bright crimson. She coughed up some more blood before closing her mouth and forcing herself to take deep breaths in a feeble attempt to dull the throbbing pain.

Her brown head hung down in defeat. A bead of sweat traveled down to the tip of her nose and fell to the floor with a soft '_drip_' that seemed to echo around the room. Sakura could not hide the fact that she was shivering uncontrollably. The latest blast was far more powerful than those that had preceded it. She felt as though every organ in her body had burst into smithereens at the impact.

Yet she was still alive…perhaps, just _perhaps_, would it be better to die? Then she could leave all this suffering behind her…

Sakura pushed the appealing thought away firmly. No, she did not want to die. She wanted to live. That was the reason the four of them had stuck together as a team to find her missing feathers: to keep her alive. She would not let them down after all they have gone the hardships they had endured.

"Was that enjoyable?" the man mocked. Sakura shook off the remnants of blood and saliva before glaring at him. She would _not_ give in to his threats. Kurogane-san, Fye-san and Syaoran-kun had fought hard to retrieve her feathers, and there was no way she was going to surrender them easily now.

Then again, this man had more tricks up his sleeve than a dog has fleas. Sakura could see that from his twisted smile and the glint in his eyes. The catch was in discovering what his hidden intentions were, if there were more than one.

"I think I'll keep it at that level and increase it every day until the flow of magic in your body is disrupted. Perhaps the chaos within will help you to spread your wings," he said, emphasizing on the last three words.

_Spread your wings…_Sakura thought in fear. A rush of images entered her mind then.

_Something…something was calling to her…she teleported to the interior of some arch…a flash of bright golden light…and someone called her name…she dimly registered the hard impact of her body hitting the floor, and someone trying to shake her awake…._

That voice…had sounded so familiar…it sounded like…sounded like Syaoran-kun's –

Sakura's head snapped up, her emerald eyes wide. S-Syaoran-kun? The chestnut haired boy appeared in her mind's eye for a short moment before vanishing into thin air. Then there was a loud clap that sounded like a crack of thunder before Sakura blacked out.

"Who…was that?" she muttered, her head drooping forwards to rest on her chest. "Ungh…."

Her captor growled with annoyance and administered a stronger shock upon Sakura, causing the limp figure to glow momentarily with crackling white light. Still the princess did not regain consciousness.

"Kuso!" he swore before turning away and disappearing into a portal, hair billowing wildly. Before going away he cast another blast of strong magic on Sakura, causing the unconscious girl to spit blood. Beads of sweat stood out on her brow ad dripped onto the floor.

Once again, Sakura was alone in the room, this time with magic crackling round her slim frame. Thankfully, she was blissfully oblivious to the pain the shocks would have caused, if only for the moment.

….

Sakura screamed again, head and arms thrashing wildly. She would have rolled off the huge rock slab she was laid upon if Syaoran had not been pinning her wrists down, half-hugging her.

Her cry of pure agony did not go unnoticed. Syaoran was distressed at her deteriorating condition. Her screams had not subsided, even after an hour of continuous cries tearing at her throat. In fact, it seemed to grow louder and more incessant.

Fye butted in and wiped Sakura's feverish brow with a piece of cloth. Sakura shivered, the beating of her heart uneven. Her intakes of air were haphazard and ragged. Yet another scream escaped her lips, echoing loudly in the distance.

Some crystalline tears squeezed out of her shut eyes, traveling down her sweat-stained cheeks. A single mother or pearl landed on Syaoran's hand, and he caressed her cheek in concern. His finger wiped off the rest of her tears, stopping to rest beside her closed right eye.

Her elegant eyebrows were knitted into a frown. She bit her lips, unconsciously or not, perhaps in an effort to stop whatever was causing her pain. Her arms that were pinned underneath Syaoran's warm body flailed a little as another scream tore at her throat.

"Hi-me!" Syaoran choked with difficulty. The princess's chest rose and fell, but not in a peaceful doze. Sakura moaned time and again, punctured by the occasional scream. Her hot breath traveled down his open shirt, making him writhe slightly with discomfort.

Sakura grunted, her already pale face drained of any trace of colour it had kept. Tears streaked down her face once more as she howled in excruciating pain. Her fingers curled around Syaoran's cloak and gripped it tightly. Syaoran allowed her to do it, as long as it could bring her relief.

"Syaoran-kun," Fye interjected, staring at the screaming princess in the boy's arms. Syaoran did not turn around but cradled Sakura's head in one hand, amber eyes searching her pale face for the cause of her agony.

The mage shoved a small vial towards him, causing the boy to look at it curiously without much enthusiasm. The glass vial contained a silvery white substance within that swirled about like a gas.

"What is this?" Syaoran asked, his eyes returning to Sakura's face.

"This…this is a simple sleeping potion I bought when at our last stop but one. Peaceful oblivion," Fye said softly. Syaoran's head snapped up at the word.

"O-Oblivion? You mean -"

"No, not put her to sleep. Just to calm her down."

Syaoran peered once more into the pale features of his beloved, her beautiful chestnut hair waving about when blown by the wind. Her face was contorted in pure agony, every muscle strained and tense.

"_AAAAAAAAHHHH_!" She screamed again, her breathing laboured. One hand closed on Syaoran's arm and gripped it hard. Syaoran grimaced and steeled himself against the pain. If he could not take the pain away, then let him share it with her.

Oh, but he _could_ take it away, if only for a short while. Syaoran closed his eyes and made his decision.

"Okay."

"Three drops will suffice."

Syaoran nodded and reached out for the vial, observing the swirling mist with keen eyes. It seemed to taunt him, challenging him to pour it down his beloved's throat. His gaze traveled down to the weary princess, her head resting in the crook of his arm. She had gritted her teeth, fingers pulling on his shirt, threatening to rip it to shreds.

The cork came off with a small pop. A small amount of the silvery white gas escaped in the form of wisps of smoke, dancing in the air before vanishing with one last sparkle.

Carefully he tipped the vial so that the mouth rested on Sakura's lips. There was no need for him to force her mouth open, for Sakura had chosen that very moment to gasp for air. Quickly he shook three drops of the sleeping potion into her mouth. He then recapped the vial and watched anxiously as the potion started to take effect.

Sakura screamed again, tears streaming afresh from her tear ducts and down her pale cheeks. Then Syaoran did the only thing he thought could calm her – and him as well. He pulled her close and hugged her tight, her sweet scent mingling with his.

Sakura's cries slowly subsided to be replaced by soft moans, and finally…silence. Her body went slack in Syaoran's grip. Fingers uncurled themselves and fell down to the floor. The misery that had marred her face was currently replaced by a peaceful look as the princess slept in his arms, now blissfully unaware of the stabbing pain.

A stray lock of brown hair whipped wildly in the wind, the only source of sound among the otherwise silent travelers. The wind picked up and fell again, leaving the four of them behind in a trail of dust and sand.

Syaoran sighed and pressed a cheek against Sakura's face, ignoring the clammy feeling it gave him. Any trace of agony had been completely wiped off her face now, but it did not change the fact that she had been suffering. The sweat that pooled on the stone slab proved it. Even Syaoran's clothes were stained with her perspiration, something he disregarded right away. He was used to being drenched with sweat when he was excavating ruins anyway.

"Sakura…"

Fye and Kurogane exchanged glances, the mage unusually serious.

"Do you get the feeling that foul play is afoot?" he asked the ninja, one brow raised. Kurogane scrutinized him closely before choosing to reply.

"Definitely."

',',

Yay! Third chapter done! I hope you enjoyed it!

As usual, tell me if any of them are out of character, please. You're all welcome to point out my mistakes, in fact they are very much appreciated.

Arigato gozaimasu! Oh, and by the way, I accept flames ONLY with a reasonable, uh, reason?

Review? Please! Click on the 'Go' button and tell me your rating/suggestions/ideas for this story ya?


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tsubasa Chronicles, blah, blah, blah.**

**c-h-a-p-t-e-r-4**

"Hmm…they are coming," someone muttered, staring intently into a basin of clear water. Tiny figures moved about in it, shimmering when the water quivered when an unseen gust of wind passed over its surface.

There were three of those figures, all of them men. The youngest among them was carrying something on his back. The tallest was obviously a ninja judging by his cocky stride and clothes. As for the blonde man, he appeared half-asleep and never failed to smile at his companions.

Their mouths opened and closed as they spoke, but the words were lost to their discreet observer. That did not matter to him. What mattered were their current location and their destination.

The silent observer waved a careless purple-sleeved hand over the water, causing the images to disappear. The three figures dissipated into nothing as the base of the rock basin shimmered into view.

"This will be interesting."

….

"So where are we headed?" Syaoran asked his companions. The princess was safely on his back, deep in her blissful sleep. Syaoran did not have the heart to let her undergo the pain she had gone through all over again when the effects of the sleeping potion wore off.

Her brown hair was lifted by a playful breeze and tickled his chin. Syaoran chuckled and tucked the stray lock behind Sakura's ear. The princess smiled in her sleep. Her warm breath brushed against Syaoran's cheek. It gave him a rush of relief to know that she was free of her troubles for now, whatever they were.

Syaoran smiled. Sakura looked so peaceful…she was a beautiful angel indeed. Her pale caramel skin and deep emerald eyes were enough to leave him breathless. And her smile…her smile was what he craved for.

When those sweet, rosy lips of hers curved upwards and revealed her pearly white teeth, Syaoran felt as though a mountain had been lifted off his shoulders. It was weird. Her smile was so radiant, so simple yet so meaningful to him. It seemed to sap all his worries away, filling him instead with a sense of contentment and peace.

Sakura…the princess meant so much to him. It had really hurt when she woke up and addressed him as 'Syaoran-kun' back in the world with Kudan-wielders. For that one heart-stopping moment Syaoran had nearly let go of her in shock.

Her memories of him…all those bittersweet moments they had shared together since they were children…they were gone. Gone was the time she would play in the royal garden and drag him along with her, showing him how to smile. Gone were her carefree days as a young child without worries, and also…and also the love that had blossomed throughout the years.

She would never remember anything about him now, never. Not even when they managed to retrieve all her feathers. No. Her sweet memories of him were gone forever, a part of the pact they had made with Yuuko in exchange for the ability to travel to different dimensions.

It had hurt. It had hurt worse than all the aches and pains he felt after excavating ruins all day long. Yet Syaoran was determined to bear it like a man. It was for the sake of his beloved, after all.

Yes…this sacrifice was for Sakura. For that he was willing to swallow the bitter pill and stick with her through thick and thin. For her….

Sakura stirred slightly on his back. Syaoran returned to reality and glanced at her face. Her previously peaceful expression was already marred by a light frown, and the corners of her mouth turned down in discomfort.

A tiny whimper escaped her lips and she started quivering. Her lax grip on Syaoran's cloak tightened, her breath quickening. She moaned into the square of his back.

"Fye-san!" Syaoran called urgently. The mage behind him looked up at the mention of his name and inclined his head.

"Anything wrong?"

"Hime…I think the effects of the sleeping potion is wearing off."

"Ah…" Fye smiled and gestured at the half-empty vial in his hand. "Lay her down."

Syaoran obeyed without hesitation. The limp form of the princess slid off his back and into his arms. He single-handedly unfastened his cloak and spread it on the dusty ground before placing Sakura on it, his cloak providing meager bedding for the princess.

Her chest rose and fell in an uneven pattern. Her fingers curled around the rough cloak and held it tight as though her life depended on it. Sakura started gasping for air, her moans of pain growing more pronounced by the second.

"The potion?" Syaoran said briefly, never taking his eyes of her shaking figure. Fye handed the small vial to him without a word.

Syaoran uncorked the bottle, allowing the ethereal smoke to escape from the slender mouth. The silvery white mist undulated and dissipated into thin air to reveal the crystal clear liquid within the glass casing.

Tipping it so that it hovered above Sakura's slightly open mouth, he prepared to pour it into her throat. More swirls of gas spewed out and sparkled in the humid air.

Just as the tip of the vial rested on Sakura's parched lips, something knocked against Syaoran's arm, causing the bottle to fly out of his hand. Syaoran tried to catch it but failed miserably. His horrified gaze trailed the vial as it smashed into a million pieces, the precious liquid spilling out and disappearing underground, now utterly useless.

One big, wet, sloppy tongue licked his face, covering it in drool. Two padded paws landed on his shoulder blades and knocked the breath out of him.

"Nani -" Syaoran gasped, struggling to get out from under the creature.

"Shiro! Come back to Kimiko!" a young girl called. She had beautiful eyes the colour of deep violet with a dash of indigo in them, and her skin was of the palest shade of caramel, something unbelievable for an inhabitant of this world to possess due to the burning sun. "Oh my…" she gasped at the sight of her huge canine crushing Syaoran under its weight.

The dog looked up at the mention of his name. He bounded happily towards his mistress the moment he caught her scent in the still air, landing on her with all four paws and proceeded to lick her face.

"Eew. Get off me! Are you all right, sir?" she yelled, trying to push her dog away. Syaoran did not hear her. His attention was focused once more on Sakura, unmindful of the sticky saliva and drool that covered his face.

She was tossing and turning restlessly, straining as though to escape from something. Her lips were already stained red with her own blood where she had bit down too hard.

Her moans grew more and more incessant. It had risen by a crescendo since the effects of the sleeping potion Syaoran had administered her started to fade.

Almost inevitably, the screaming began.

Sakura thrashed about on the cloak, her eyes scrunched up in pain. Syaoran was by her side in a moment, holding her shaking hands in his. A worried expression marred his face.

The newcomer was by his side in an instant, peering intently at Sakura's thrashing figure. She then thrust her hand before her, palm upwards, and uttered an incantation.

Her silvery hair was blown back in a magical halo as white magic materialized in the palm of her hand. It spat and crackled angrily.

Without further ado the girl crouched down beside the unconscious Sakura and laid her palm on her chest, right over Sakura's heart. The magic frizzed and settled on Sakura's trembling body before entering it and disappearing without a trace.

Once again, Sakura's muscles relaxed, her painful expression giving way to peace. Her grip on Syaoran's cloak loosened, hands dropping to lie beside her prone body. Syaoran was prepared to bet that he had heard a sigh escape the princess' lips.

"Wh-What did you do?" he asked, too busy staring at Kimiko to notice the small frown on her forehead.

"Me?" Her voice was high-pitched like a child's should be, yet it held a sense of maturity in it that no child's voice should have. "I cast a calming spell on her, of course. What did you expect me to do when I saw her screaming like that? Stand aside and watch?"

Syaoran was silent for a while. So was Fye. Kurogane, however, was naturally more suspicious of her than his two companions were.

"And how were we supposed to know what spell you cast on her? You could've placed any spell on her, and we wouldn't have an inkling about what you did, little girl," he growled, his eyes narrowing into slits.

The girl was undeterred. In fact, she stared right back at him before glancing to his left, where Fye stood watching her with his half-lidded eyes. Suddenly she raised a finger and pointed at him.

"Him. He should know."

Fye was taken aback. He smiled down at the girl, cerulean blue eyes dancing. "And why do you think so?"

"You're familiar with magic. The scent of it lies heavily on you."

"Yes, you're right," he admitted.

"Then you should be able to detect the cause of her illness," the girl said purposefully, pointing at Sakura's limp form.

Syaoran's head snapped back to stare at Fye. "Can you?"

"I don't know." The mage shrugged. "Do you know, Kuro-rin?"

Kurogane bristled, hand resting upon Souhi's hilt. "You're the mage, you figure it out," he hissed. "And I am not Kuro-rin. I am _Kurogane_. Ku-ro-ga-ne. Get that into your head."

Fye smiled, watching Kurogane's reaction with interest evident in his features. "You know I can't use magic," he said in barely a whisper.

"You can't?" Kimiko asked with her arms folded across her chest.

The older magic-user shook his head.

"Oh well," she muttered discontentedly. "There's another way to show you. You, as a mage, will realize it. I _think_."

Fye gave her another of his smiles. "We'll see about that."

Kimiko nodded and closed her eyes, hands glowing. Her hair was blown back once more, whipping about behind her.

Sakura's limp body frazzled with the same brand of magic that emanated from the child's hands. Syaoran was by her side in an instant, his amber eyes watching his princess with concern etched into every inch of him.

Her spine arced as her hands dangled in the air. Her legs slowly left the ground as Kimiko used her magic to suspend her in the air. Higher and higher she floated, until Sakura was hovering in the sky, too high for any of them to grasp her leg even if they had wanted to.

"What are you doing?" Syaoran asked urgently, watching the princess floating in the air with a sense of unease. It reminded him too much of that fateful night when Sakura's memories had been scattered across various dimensions in the form of feathers they now sought to retrieve.

Kimiko opened her startlingly deep eyes to look at Sakura. "Can you spot it?" she murmured huskily.

The three travelers peered up at the floating silhouette, shading their eyes from the blinding sun. Try as they might, Syaoran and Kurogane could decipher nothing unusual about her, except for the fact that she was unconscious without a reason.

Fye scrutinized her carefully. Not only her body, but also the area surrounding her. His usually dreamy features were unusually sharp and grim.

"Well?" the girl pressed.

"Where is her shadow?" he asked, shocking his traveling companions. Syaoran and Kurogane glanced at the dusty ground. Sure enough, Sakura's body did not throw a shadow on the grass, nor anywhere near it.

"You figured it out, haven't you?" Kimiko said. "But you need to reconstruct your question."

Fye looked at her quizzically.

"The question is not the location of her shadow. More importantly, where is her _body_?"

"Are you joking, little girl? Her body is there," Kurogane growled, pointing at the limp figure in the air.

"Let me rephrase that. Where is her other half?"

"Stop going in circles. You magic-handlers are all the same. Twisting and turning about the truth."

Fye threw him a reprimanding look. "Keep quiet, Kuro-pii." His voice was so cold and unrelenting that Kurogane actually _obeyed_.

Shrugging, Fye turned to face Kimiko. "So what is missing? Her body, or -" he took a deep breath. "Her soul?"

The girl stared at him dolefully. "Both, I'm afraid. Her soul is still intact within her body. Since her body isn't here, her soul isn't either. That -" she indicated the girl floating in the air "- is her shadow."

"Prove it," Kurogane challenged.

"I will, soon. Before I do, do you have any questions?"

"Yes," Syaoran said abruptly. "Please. Please tell me…where we can find her, or at least let us see her for a while."

The girl shook her head. "I can't do that. The most I can do is to show you her present condition through a medium. The medium will have the opportunity to see through the girl's eyes."

"I will be the medium," he volunteered without hesitation.

She shook her head again. "I'm sorry, but no. My spell requires a magical medium."

All heads swiveled to look at Fye.

"I cannot use magic," he said softly. "Remember?"

"I do not need you to perform magic, simply as a medium for my powers."

Fye chuckled. "I have no choice then." He stepped forward so that he stood directly in front of her.

"Are you sure? You will experience anything she is experiencing now, and it will not stop until my power is drained."

"Yes."

"Wait," Syaoran intervened.

"What is it?" Kimiko asked, looking at him full in the face.

"Can…can you think of any way to reduce her suffering? I think she's in pain, wherever she is, because…" he gulped. "Because Hi – the shadow kept screaming unless we give her – it – a sleeping potion."

The girl smiled, but it was grim. "When your friend is linked to her, he will share her pain and any other emotion she undergoes. For that short while, everything will be halved."

"I – thank you." Syaoran bowed. She inclined her head graciously and returned her attention to the mage.

"Are you ready?"

Fye smiled. "Yes."

"Be prepared."

"Mm."

"Stand there," she said, indicating the space before her. "Oh yes, and whatever you do, whatever his reactions are, you must not disturb him. It will bring grave danger to both him and the girl you call Sakura."

Syaoran nodded whereas Kurogane grunted, his eyes closed.

"Hey Kuro-pon! Are you going to wish me luck?" Fye called, waving at the ninja.

"In your dreams, mage."

"Arigatou!"

"Baka," Kurogane breathed.

"Let's start," Kimiko intervened, getting a little more than irritated with the ninja.

"Go ahead, Kimiko-chan."

The girl nodded and closed her eyes, murmuring under her breath. A golden triangle appeared on the ground near Fye's feet, flaring like a sheet of golden fire.

A shimmering word appeared on Fye's forehead before sinking into his skull as though the thick bone was not there.

Sweat started to form on the mage's brow as Fye struggled with an invisible force. Syaoran watched him anxiously. Kurogane, on the other hand, peeked at him through one open eye.

Fye started to moan, first incomprehensibly then loudly. His figure shook and trembled like a leaf in the wind. Kurogane's closed eye snapped open.

"What are you doing to him, girl?" he growled.

"Do not…disturb," Kimiko grated. "At mortal peril…"

"If anything happens to the princess and the mage, I'll -"

Syaoran silenced him with a glance. "Trust her, Kurogane-san."

The ninja growled. "You're too soft."

"I have to trust her…for hime."

Kurogane watched the boy with a serious eye before giving his assent. He grunted and placed Souhi on the ground, sitting in a lotus pose.

"If you say so."

"Arigatou Kurogane-san," Syaoran replied tersely. _Hopefully, everything will be all right._

….

(**A/N**: This will be in **Fye's POV**, but on the whole it will be as normal. Fye will be seeing through Sakura's eyes)

"Pleasant news for you, _Sakura_," her captor called amicably from one end of the room.

A pathetic-looking figure in chains shifted a little, revealing a pair of distorted emerald eyes. A trickle of blood ran from her mouth to her chin, tracing her jaw like a crimson snake. She appeared broken, yet she refused to yield.

She had strong will power indeed. But that was to be expected of her, the princess of Clow who had managed to uphold her dignity despite the suffering she was put through.

Her captor smirked and waved a careless purple-clad arm in the air. Suddenly Sakura's arms were free of the stone slabs and she fell to the floor, screaming when her burning skin made contact with the ice-cold floor.

It felt as though my skin was on fire. Every inch of exposed flesh touched the brown craggy floor and sent searing pain up my nerves and injected pure anguish into my brain cells.

I would have screamed. In fact, I did not know if I did or not. The blinding pain was enough to shut down my remaining senses.

"That hurt, didn't it now?" the man cooed. "But this will not benefit either of us, so I'll help you up again."

With a snap of his fingers, the stone slabs disappeared. Sakura watched them with disbelief mirrored in her tired eyes. Did he not say he would imprison her? Then why had the stone slabs faded away?

A pair of coal-black metal cuffs fastened themselves around Sakura's slender wrists and clicked shut. The chains that connected them to the wall started withdrawing into the slimy wall, pulling Sakura painfully up by her wrists.

The metal dug into her wrists and ate at her flesh, adding to her pain. Sakura bit her lip to refrain from expressing her agony. It was nothing compared to the blasts of magic that bombarded her anyway.

Through her eyes, I watched as her memories surfaced to torment her and felt the pain she went through during those moments. To say that I was horrified would be the understatement of the year.

I was traumatized. Was that what Sakura-chan had undergone ever since she had fallen unconscious? That…that was terrible.

My vision shifted when Sakura stemmed the flow of thoughts to glare at her captor. This time, I managed to catch a glimpse of his face. I lodged it firmly in my mind. Perhaps I could use it to my advantage later….

"Before I break the news to you, I ask you one more time. Do you give up?" he said.

Sakura glared daggers at him. I did likewise, mostly because I was tied to her by the means of this connection. Her body trembled with exultation and hatred for her tormentor.

"I…will never…give up!" she snarled through gritted teeth. I could feel her energy being sapped by her effort to talk. I shuddered. My body – and hers as well – felt so weak.

A small part of her mind entertained the notion of surrendering to him. She was so tired. She was tired of all this torture, all the shocks she received that shook her to the bone and the torments from her captor.

The rest of her repulsed that thought and pushed it away, refusing even to glance at it. She wanted to live, she told herself. She wanted to live; she did not want to court death just yet.

There was a sudden jerk to my navel just before a blast of fizzling reddish-blue magic – which I instantly recognized as the mark of an enchanter's – hit Sakura's body. I would have screamed at the impact, but when I opened my eyes, I was no longer linked to the princess.

She was left alone, once again, with her captor. Hopefully, we will invade her prison soon. I do not know for how much longer she could last.

….

Fye crouched on all fours in the magical triangle, shaking and convulsing with sweat covering every inch of his skin. His fists grabbed the dirt that was scattered around him and held them tightly, gritting his teeth against the pain.

"Fye-san!" Syaoran called urgently, a hint of concern in his voice. The boy reached the mage a split second after the flaring triangle collapsed.

Kimiko allowed her arms to fall to her sides, her head bowed. A moment later she staggered and started to fall backwards, right into Kurogane's waiting arms.

"You idiot," he hissed. "Using your power to that extent. You should've known better."

All the girl could manage was a protesting whimper. Her small hands curled around her dress and threatened to rip them apart.

Fye flinched when he felt a hand rest on the square of his back. Turning his head with much difficulty, he made out Syaoran's silhouette right beside him.

"W-What happened then?" the mage asked, trying to smile. With a small groan his limbs gave way and he fell onto his side. Syaoran was by his side in an instant, propping him up with a knee under his blonde head.

"You were screaming and flailing, that's what happened," Kurogane grunted.

"Are you all right Fye-san?" Syaoran queried. Fye smiled, showing off his white teeth.

"I've…been better."

The small figure in Kurogane's lap stirred. "That was…only half of what…she is experiencing," she informed them through gritted teeth.

Fye's expression froze in the middle of a smile, his cerulean blue eyes portraying shock and…horror? His face, already pale, grew several shades paler.

"N-Nani?!" he gasped. Placing a hand over his eyes, he groaned.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Syaoran repeated.

"Hai. Kimiko-chan…are you able to cast a small spell?"

The girl struggled to sit up and flexed her fingers. She frowned for a moment before nodding.

"I think so."

"Good. Can you assist us?"

Kimiko stared at him, taking in Syaoran who was holding Fye up, and Kurogane, who was sitting behind her with his arms folded across his chest. Finally her gaze traveled upwards to look at Sakura – her shadow anyway.

She took a deep breath before choosing to reply.

"Yes."

',',

Okay. It wasn't too bad, I hope. I'm sorry I did not specify the world with the Kudan-thing, I seldom pay attention to names and stuff. My fault.

As usual, tell me if any of them are out of character, please. You're all welcome to point out my mistakes, in fact they are very much appreciated.

Arigato gozaimasu! Oh, and by the way, I accept flames ONLY with a reasonable, uh, reason?

Review? Please! Click on the 'Go' button and tell me your rating/suggestions/ideas for this story ya?


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